Following seven more deaths, a total of 57 people have died this year from hand, foot and mouth disease, AP reports:
About 126,000 cases have been reported this year — nearly 55,000 in March alone, 31 of which were fatal. Almost all patients were children under age 5. Health officials have said this year’s strain is especially strong.
In China’s central Henan province alone, 25 deaths have been reported among about 31,000 cases, up 50 percent from figures released last week, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The seven deaths reported Thursday occurred in Henan.
State media reported last year that the virus sickened 27,000 children and killed dozens in the first few months of 2008 before reports of outbreaks subsided in May.
